I've started a new thread to discuss the Decent Espresso Machine. This discussion is now in the Marketplace, per Admin-Dan's suggestion, since this is a commercial post, and he prefers to keep such things away from the general forums.

Here, I'll be posting progress reports on getting our DE1 and DE1+ espresso machines to market.
We're waiting for the PC board (coming at the end of next week), portafilter and group head handle, drip tray and water tank (still working through difficulties getting these parts made) and then we can show you the working DE1, close to how it'll actually be made.


UPDATE: Moved to Espresso Machines from Marketplace for historical reference.

Photo below of a wood handle for the group head on our espresso machine. We have two companies competing to make them, and we'll pick the nicer of the two. This is the first to arrive.

This handle is matte stained Bubinga wood. http://www.wood-database.com/bubinga/ -- I hadn't heard of this wood, but after a bit of googling I found that it's very common in drum kits, which is a good endorsement of its durability!

FYI we found that using wood for the handles was more expensive per-piece compared to plastic, but not more expensive in the near term. The reason: a plastic mould charge is several thousand dollars, which makes a lot of wood handles! A wooden handle can be made on a simple lathe with a very inexpensive guide. Though you can't put a wood handle in the dishwasher, I much prefer the feel of it.

Can't say I have ever sent a portafilter handle through the dishwasher . I like that you'll be using wooden handles. Thanks for keeping us up to date.

Are you taking pre orders yet?

decent_espresso wrote:I've started a new thread to discuss the Decent Espresso Machine. This discussion is now in the Marketplace, per Admin-Dan's suggestion, since this is a commercial post, and he prefers to keep such things away from the general forums.

Here, I'll be posting progress reports on getting our DE1 and DE1+ espresso machines to market.

We're waiting for the PC board (coming at the end of next week), portafilter and group head handle, drip tray and water tank (still working through difficulties getting these parts made) and then we can show you the working DE1, close to how it'll actually be made.

Nice innards!! Think you have a winner.

Yes Please, wood handles are NICE, I loved them

decent_espresso wrote:This handle is matte stained Bubinga wood. http://www.wood-database.com/bubinga/ -- I hadn't heard of this wood, but after a bit of googling I found that it's very common in drum kits, which is a good endorsement of its durability!
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I understand that you painted the bubinga handle black to match the machine theme, but I personally like the normal (or, natural) wood look that a specific species offers. I really like bubinga - really cool grain structure in most of the stuff I've seen. If I went with a wooden handle, I would want to see the beauty of the wood and not try and hide it.

YMMV, obviously! Just my $0.02.

I'm glad everything is coming along. I'm looking forward to seeing how the machines perform. I like the Scott Rao series you have going on youtube, worth checking out for anyone that hasn't been following it.

Once we hit our groove in manufacturing, I do like the idea of having aesthetic alternatives, such as more natural wood handles, and different body finishes.

I agree that light wood can look really striking, such as on these two machines:
http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b53 ... 39d211.jpg

decent_espresso wrote:Once we hit our groove in manufacturing, I do like the idea of having aesthetic alternatives, such as more natural wood handles, and different body finishes.

I agree that light wood can look really striking, such as on these two machines:
http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b53 ... 39d211.jpg

Yes! Totally agree. A nice natural wood look could play really well with your design language. Would be cool to see what you come up with.

Sidebar - I clicked on the photobucket link, clicked one image to the right, saw an adorable dog... then wished I had an adorable dog.

Wood is nice, I have turned thousands of wood portafilter handle. You do have to watch the finish. A simple oil finish is easy, if you use a gloss finish it takes hours/days to apply properly and a normal urethane or varnish finish will not take the heat and blister.